How to get more Bears footage — for free

An app that delivers behind-the-scenes Bears footage plus hypertargeted audiences for advertisers could equal a serious revenue score. That’s the basis of a partnership between the team and DeskSite, a Los Angeles company that bills itself as a digital video entertainment network. Starting Wednesday, fans will be able to access exclusive HD video through ChicagoBears.com

That’s the basis of a partnership between the team and DeskSite, a Los Angeles company that bills itself as a digital video entertainment network.

Starting Wednesday, fans will be able to access exclusive HD video through ChicagoBears.com by downloading the free DeskSite app to their computer.

DeskSite CEO Richard Gillam says the app won’t replace the experience of watching a Bears game but will supplement it.

“This is more for the fan who is going to use this product as a second screen during the game,” he says. “It’s not just the game content. There’s so much more for the fanatical fan. They’re going to want Chicago Bears all week long and we’re going to be here to provide it for them, delivering hours upon hours of content every week.”

DeskSite doesn’t pay the Bears a licensing fee but rather operates under a revenue sharing agreement, though the company wouldn’t say what the split is. DeskSite is responsible for sourcing and closing deals with advertisers; the team promotes the app through its various channels and generates exclusive content for it.

Right now, 10 NFL teams offer the app, which Gillam says is aimed more at Bears fans who have moved out of the radio and TV coverage area.

“The kind of content that we’ll be using is everything except for the actual game itself,” he says. “We’ll have game highlights, breakdowns, pregame, postgame, all that stuff that goes with it.”

What’s in it for advertisers, though?

Gillam says the platform enables them to reach a specific audience subset rather than taking a spray and pray approach with their ad buy.

“You’re now going to see Maybelline and all these other traditional female advertisers that would never in a million years be spending millions of dollars on Monday Night Football because of the dilution of the audience demographic,” he says. “By taking an app approach, we can now through our platform target video ads by exact age and gender. With our product, we’ve got the ability to guarantee female viewers only or male viewers only.”

Gillam says he’s planning on rolling out the app to other major sports leagues in 2014.